Patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with an orangutan bite require a series of prophylactic treatments. We present a unique case of an orangutan bite in a 29-year-old male ED patient who was brought by Emergency Medical Services (EMS) for evaluation of an orangutan bite to the right upper extremity with a suspected fourth proximal phalanx fracture. He was referred to hand surgery for a washout and open reduction.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA 21-year-old female with a past medical history of chronic tonsilitis presented to the emergency department (ED) with a sore throat and swelling in her neck for a two-week duration. The patient was noted to have pancytopenia with blasts on peripheral blood differential, so she was transferred for admission at an outside facility for further evaluation and management. Bone marrow biopsy revealed T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) with 39.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAcute pharyngitis is a common complaint in emergency department (ED), urgent care, and primary care settings. Most cases are due to bacterial or viral infections easily treated with antibiotics or supportive care. However, serious pathologies in the pharyngitis differential include Ludwig's angina, peritonsillar abscess, retropharyngeal abscess, and bacterial tracheitis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPostoperative abdominal pain after gastric surgery requires thorough evaluation in the ED. Portomesenteric venous thrombosis (PMVT) is a rare complication after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, which requires prompt evaluation and diagnosis. Patients require admission with prompt anticoagulation and broad-spectrum antibiotics due to the risk of decompensation from intestinal ischemia and sepsis from bowel translocation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCase Presentation: A 50-year-old male with a history of multiple sclerosis with dizziness and nystagmus presented to the emergency department. On physical exam, nystagmus was noted. Computed tomography of the head without contrast was obtained showing a low density in the left frontal lobe.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: End-of-life interventions should be predicated on consensus understanding of patient wishes. Written documents are not always understood; adding a video testimonial/message (VM) might improve clarity. Goals of this study were to (1) determine baseline rates of consensus in assigning code status and resuscitation decisions in critically ill scenarios and (2) determine whether adding a VM increases consensus.
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